


Red

by rome_in_asia



Category: K-pop, Monsta X (Band)
Genre: ..ish, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Attempt at Humor, Baker Jooheon, Crack, Fluff, Historically Inaccurate, Implied Smut, Kihyun likes to work, M/M, Prince Shownu, Romance, Slow Burn, Tailor Kihyun, Tailor Minhyuk, The Author Regrets Nothing, prince changkyun, prince hoseok
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-04
Updated: 2018-04-04
Packaged: 2019-04-18 10:05:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14210766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rome_in_asia/pseuds/rome_in_asia
Summary: "You're not just a commoner. I love you."





	Red

"Come now, Kihyunie, it's just one evening!"

Kihyun frowned when Minhyuk shoved a bundle of fabric in his face, blinded by the sudden barrage of bright colors and striking patterns. "Moongie, please, I do not even know how to dance and you want me to attend the prince's dance? I am calling you out on your bullshit."

"Well, aren't you a wet towel over burning coal." Minhyuk sniffed, taking out a tape measure and a red silk scarf. "Drop those fabrics over there so I can have your measurements. You could easily borrow any of my outfits but your stature is... well..."

"Oh, do continue, Moongie. My stature is what?" Kihyun smiled at his taller friend a little too sweetly.

"Nevermind that!" Minhyuk shrieked and pulled him to stand in front of a gargantuan mirror in the corner of their little shop, keeping Kihyun in place with a vice grip on the shoulders. "Anyway, stay still you hamster; you're coming with me to the dance tomorrow."

"Why not just ask Jooheon to come with you?" Kihyun gave up the useless struggle and raised his arms. "You have been really insistent on buying bread from his bakery almost everyday and would not let even me go for milk runs because you really want to see your precious honey bee."

Minhyuk really flushed a slight pink and he smacked Kihyun's arm with the measuring tape. "Jooheonie's a really sweet lad, Hyunie. He would never go to the dance with someone as lowly as me."

"Have I told you we have been saving a bit on our food expenses because he sells his product at an obivously lesser value when you buy it? Hyungwon has been cursing you both since he found out." Kihyun hummed, intent on setting Minhyuk's face into a fiery red. "Whatever could that mean?"

"Oh, shut up and go back to weaving your patterns!" Minhyuk whined, pushing him away and burning at the neck and ears.

The sound of Kihyun's evil cackling never really went down even after an hour locked and working in the loom room.

 

* * *

 

 

Hoseok really hated the fact that he had to go and cover himself up when he sneaks out into the stables to take into town. Hyunwoo had sighed and told him there was no other way: Hoseok had to wrap himself up so he would not be recognized by the townspeople. After all, even if Hyunwoo was the crown prince ruling over the kingdom, his brother still had a say in the goings of the kingdom. The risk of getting kidnapped was still high.

"Why not bring him here instead?" Hyunwoo suggested, standing idly at the door of the royal stables.

"He doesn't-- Wonnie would not like it here." Hoseok sighed, jumping onto his horse's saddle.

"Have you even asked him?" the crown prince sighed, having already had the conversation too many times. When Hoseok merely lowered his head, Hyunwoo opened the door of the stables. "Fine. Do invite him to the dance tomorrow, though. I would want to meet the librarian that stole my brother's heart."

"You really scoff at the idea of love, do you not?" Hoseok chuckled, trotting out slowly. "Oh, brother, when you finally feel your heart beat for someone else other than the responsibility of ruling, you will understand why I'd risk my life visiting Hyungwon, not even a royalty, everyday."

Hyunwoo waved him off. "If. Go on, go on. He must be waiting for you. Remember, go in through the side door of the castle. I will tell Gunhee to stay and guard it until you come back."

It did not take much more for Hoseok to force his horse into a gallop, carefully maneuvering the streets to avoid the crowded alleys and market places. It was still early in the day, yet the crowds have swallowed up the city center in a rush to prepare for the dance tomorrow night. Hoseok left his horse in the library stable and decided to be a bit unconventional.

Instead of going through the front door like any sane man would, Hoseok braced himself and began scaling the side of the library, intent on getting to the balcony of Hyungwon's apartment above the establishment.

Once he had landed firmly on the balcony, Hoseok paused to catch his breath... and made eye contact with a man sitting by the window of the building beside the library. Hoseok timidly waved at the man, whose cheeks puff out a bit to give him a hamster-y look, yet the man seemingly did not care if he was there to rob Hyungwon, instead going back to what looked like knitting.

"I am not here to rob him!" Hoseok clarified.

The man merely blinked and stood up, saying "Please, do keep it down this time.", and then closing the window.

Blood rushed to Hoseok's ears, an apology at the tip of his tongue.

"Any other person with a working common sense would have just walked through the front door downstairs." Hyungwon was suddenly beside him, still in nightrobes. He gave Hoseok a blank look. "You could have avoided meeting my very friendly neighbor."

"Well, as you have said before, I am not a very sensible person." Hoseok smiled, unwrapping his face and neck to properly kiss his lover. "You are up early today."

"My other very friendly neighbor started his day yelling at my first friendly neighbor to come with him to the dance tomorrow." Hyungwon yawned, leading the prince inside and closing the balcony doors. "Have you eaten breakfast? Jooheon came by earlier with some fresh buns and milk."

Hoseok was busy undressing himself from all the wrappings and some of his clothes too. When he met Hyungwon's half-judging, half-amused gaze, Hoseok proceeded to chuck his shirt off as well. "What? Summer has come upon us and it is hot!"

"If you say so." Hyungwon laughed, turning to prepare food for them both.

"So," Hoseok slid his strong arms around Hyungwon's middle. "Tell me about that new book you have been reading, love."

 

* * *

 

 

"You do know he likes you back." Kihyun deadpans, having caught the young baker peering over his clear glass displays to peek at Minhyuk, who was dancing and singing a song while tailoring Kihyun's outfit for the dance in front of the tailors' window.

"N-no!" Jooheon shrieked, jumping in surprise. He immediately straightened, giving Kihyun a blank look. "He? I do not know who--"

"My brother, you giant ball of dough." Kihyun harumph-ed loudly, crossing his arms over his chest. "I know most people write me off as someone who does not care about people around me, and yes I do not but for Minhyukie. Hurt my brother, even just a hair on his impeccably styled hairdo, and I will burn your bakery down and make you watch."

Minhyuk must have seen them and Jooheon slightly shaking with fright over Kihyun's astounding intimidation skills, because he dropped the suit and all but ran out to the bakery. "Kihyunie! What did you do to Jooheonie?"

Kihyun looked like he was torn between complaining or being proud that Minhyuk had already wrapped around Jooheon like the flour on the young baker's forearms. "I talked to him, Hyukie. Worry not, we do not share the same taste in anything at all." With that, he marched back to their shop, beaming all the way.

He watched Minhyuk and Jooheon sit on a bar in the bakery, laughing and talking like they were already lovers. Kihyun felt a pang of jealousy, but quickly pushed the thought aside, focusing instead on dusting the mannequins he and Minhyuk just finished creating the night before.

"Good day."

Kihyun paused from his insistent dusting to entertain the new customer-- and his jaw dropped.

The man was tall and built, a little stocky but still with that graceful leanness ever present. Kihyun was at a loss for words to describe the man's undeniable charisma and charm, and so he gawked because his mind refused to cooperate.

"I have heard that this is the best tailoring shop in town." The man said with a toothy grin that made his eyes crinkle and disappear and Kihyun's heart to skip a beat. "I would want to have something made, please. In a hurry, and I am willing to pay a handsome price."

The mention of business snapped Kihyun out of his trance, and, cheeks burning, he proceeded to pick up his jaw and take out their book of business. "Yes, indeed. What would you have us make, sir?"

"A scarf."

"In what fashion?" Kihyun directed the man to sit on an armchair. "I could have have it already, please do make yourself comfortable, Sir...?"

"Shownu. No need for formalities, after all, we are both townsfolk, are we not?" Shownu grinned again. "I do not know much about fashion, to be honest. I would want something elegant yet simple at the same time, to be worn in more ways than one."

Kihyun thought for a moment. "We have plenty of those."

"Do you have any in the shade crimson?" Shownu asked.

Remembering that Minhyuk had grabbed a recently finished red scarf from their pile to add to Kihyun's supposed outfit for the next day's dance, Kihyun decided that Minhyuk could just conjure something else up. There was this beautiful man willing to pay handsomely for it, anyway. Minhyuk would understand.

"I will retrieve it. Please wait a moment." Kihyun dashed to the other end of the shop and unravelled the knot of the scarf around the mannequin. It was more like a long, wide, soft ribbon, with darker shades of red embroidered as borders that glinted in the light. Kihyun hurried to smoothen the fabric, folding it into a triangle to present to the man.

"It looks better than I imagined!" Shownu praised, taking the scarf. He paid Kihyun more than twice the amount, insisting that it was worth it. At the door, before leaving, Shownu turned around once more to face Kihyun. "Are you to be at the dance tomorrow? I apologize, I do not recall having your name."

"I did not give it."

Shownu's face fell immediately and Kihyun pinched himself for being so rude.

"So I will now. My name is Yoo Kihyun."

"Ah, and will Yoo Kihyun be at the prince's dance tomorrow?"

Kihyun took a quick glance at Minhyuk's beautiful handiwork of a suit, and then at Shownu's expecting gaze. He remembered Minhyuk and Jooheon still talking outside, maybe Minhyuk would not need me to go with him after all.

"No, I will not be attending."

 

* * *

 

 

Hyunwoo had sulked all the way back to the castle and all night, mind adrift. Changkyun, the youngest prince, commented Hyunwoo was acting strangely and asked where he had been that afternoon. "It must have been something that happened during that time." 

"Eat your dinner, Kkukkungie."

"I mean it, hyung. You look like you have been rejected, but then again, you do not even pursue-- who is it?" the youngest prince was smart and very quick. Changkyun immediately dropped the peach he was enjoying to lean into Hyunwoo's personal space. "Does Hoseok-hyung know?"

"What made you think I met someone?" Hyunwoo tried to sound annoyed, but the curiousity in his tone overshadowed his act.

Changkyun was smug as he sat back down, taking a grape from the crown prince's plate. "Who is it?"

"A tailor. Yoo Kihyun."

"Is he coming to the dance?"

"No." Hyunwoo sighed, taking a bite of peach. "He seems to enjoy working more than leisure. He was jumping around in excitement when I said I was to conduct business and before that, he was cleaning an already clean space, and he was so courteous and fesity-- His face fell when I asked him about the dance, though."

"Did you introduce yourself as the crown prince?"

"Why are you asking so many questions?"

The youngest prince promptly ignored the evasion. "You did not introduce yourself as the crown prince. Oh, Hyunwoo-hyung, what are you planning now, then? The dance is to be held for you to find a suitable partner! Someone who could actually make your heart beat and pull you out of the belief that you are a rock."

There was silence as they finished up their supper and Changkyun spoke up again. 

"Do not lose hope, hyung. Who knows, this Yoo Kihyun might go to the dance tomorrow, after all."

 

* * *

 

 

"You should head back now." Hyungwon whispered.

Hoseok groaned in reply, pulling his lover closer until their foreheads touched and their breaths mingled. "I do not want to leave, Wonnie. I am comfortable." He slung an arm over Hyungwon's bare waist as if to reiterate his point. "Do not make me leave yet, I beg of you."

Hyungwon pouted, cupping the prince's face. "I am just worried, Seokie. You're far from the castle's walls to protect you, and you're risking everything just to be with a commoner like me." He let Hoseok pepper kisses on his face, smiling sadly.

"You're not just a commoner. I love you."

"I love you too, but I really must beg you to come back to the castle. I cannot keep you safe here."

With a long, drawned out noise of complaint, Hoseok sat up, the sheets pooling at his hips. Hyungwon sat up as well, offering his lover a small smile of apology. "Fine, but I am expecting you at the dance tomorrow. I plan on dancing with the most beautiful man in the world only. If you do not show up, I would sit the entire dance out."

"I will be there." Hyungwon huffed, rolling his eyes. He watched the prince climb over his legs to get to his previously discarded clothes on the floor and complain the entire time he was doing so. "I wish I never have to see you leave, Hoseok. This breaks my heart every night it happens."

Hoseok finished wrapping himself up again before turning to Hyungwon, who was still on the bed.

"You do not have to say anything. I understand, Seokie."

"I will see you tomorrow, Wonnnie." Hoseok left after a long kiss, determined to solve Hyungwon's heartbreak as soon as he can.

 

* * *

 

 

On the night of the dance, Hyunwoo was restless.

After the initial programme in which the princes were introduced and Hyunwoo gave a short speech to thank the kingdom for their continued support and attendance tonight, Changkyun had gone missing from Hyunwoo's side and Hoseok had left to find his lover, leaving Hyunwoo sitting on the thrones alone as the musicians played merrily and his subjects danced in front of him.

His eyes scanned the crowd furtively, until it landed on a familiar face that made his heart skip a beat.

Hyunwoo immediately left his throne to meet Kihyun, who looked terribly uncomfortable as he drank from a goblet at the very back of the ballroom, near the balcony doors. He seemed alone, Hyunwoo noted.

"I thought you said you would not come."

Kihyun choked on his drink, surprised at the sudden appearance of the mysterious man he had spent the entire day and previous night thinking of. He turned to face Shownu, already blushing, only to gawk as the crown prince of the kingdom greeted him instead.

"W-what--"

"Would you like for us to be reacquainted elsewhere?" Frankly, Hyunwoo wished Kihyun would say yes. The musicians were becoming too loud and the crowd was becoming too rowdy. Kihyun nodded, still surprised, and Hyunwoo guided him to the open balcony with a hand on the small of the smaller man's back and then closing the doors behind them.

"Are you really-- why did you lie to me?" Kihyun finally found his voice again, yet his demand was more of a whisper.

Hyunwoo hummed, amused. "I did not. Shownu is the name given to me by my late father. It is still my name."

Kihyun stared at his shoes. His heart had been hurting since the afternoon before, the possibility that he may not see Shownu again had rang clear in his soul. There, in the balcony of the ballroom, after seeing his Shownu again but knowing he was the crown prince Hyunwoo, his heart had began hurting threefold.

Suddenly, he felt something warm wrap around his neck.

Hyunwoo was tying the scarf that he bought from the tailors' shop the day before around Kihyun's collar. "I never did tell you why I bought this especially, yes? Tonight I have to find a suitable partner, Kihyun. It has long been the tradition of my family to give something red to the person we choose."

Tears began to fall down Kihyun's cheeks as he tried to meet Hyunwoo's pleading eyes. "Please, do not make fun of me. I am just a lowly tailor, I cannot have attracted a prince."

"Make fun of you?"

"Yes."

"What makes you think I am making fun of you?" Hyunwoo could not help but take Kihyun's pale, beautiful face in his hands, cupping them gently and letting his thumbs wipe the tears away. "I have not stopped thinking about you since I first saw you at your shop. I fear I will go mad if I do not see you again and I just have to propose tonight, I have to let you know."

Kihyun could not stop crying as he let himself fall into Hyungwoo's waiting arms. "I feel the same, I do."

"Thank you." Hyunwoo embraced him, the stress and tension leaving his body immediately. "I will cherish you, Yoo Kihyun. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to love you. We do not have to do anything yet, but now you know that in all people in this kingdom, you are the only one the crown prince will want."

 

* * *

 

 

"You were not jesting when you said you would sit the dance out."

Hoseok immediately turned around, almost dropping the cluster of grapes he was snacking on out of boredoom. Hyungwon was beaming at him, dressed in a simple black suit that made Hoseok think he is the most beautiful being the Creator has ever worked on.

"I apologize for being late." Hyungwon smiled sheepishly. "I overslept."

"You would not be the Hyungwon I love if you did not oversleep." Hoseok laughed, getting up from the lounge and pulling his lover to the center of the ballroom just as a slow song was starting. He was joyful to see Hyungwon wearing the red handkerchief Hoseok had presented him a year before, tucked into a pocket on his suit and artfully folded into a flower.

"What is it?" Hyungwon asked softly as they swayed along to the gentle melody. They were both mildly aware of the sudden clearing of the ballroom and the eyes of mostly everyone in the room on them, but they paid no mind.

They were happy.

Hoseok knew they would be even happier.

He stepped away, leaving Hyungwon confused, and then kneeled on one knee, reaching for his pocket. Hyungwon's expression morphed from confusion to one of surprise. "Hoseok, are you...?"

"Chae Hyungwon, love of my life, will you do me the honor of being your husband?"

The ballroom had turned silent. The music had ceased, and the crowd fell into a hushed silence. Hoseok could hear his own heart beating in anticipation. Hyungwon then nodded fervently, hands flying to cover his mouth as he let out a sob.

Hoseok was quick to embrace his lover and the ballroom erupted into applause and cheering.

"You really had to do it in front of everyone." Hyungwon whispered when Hoseok slid the silver band onto his finger.

"You deserve everything." Hoseok grinned, leading him to dance again. The music had started up again, livelier than before, yet the newly engaged couple danced slowly, immersed in their own world. "In fact, I asked my brother, the crown prince, if we could construct a new wing for the palace. A library."

Hyungwon's eyes lit up.

"I want you to be free from the heartbreak you have everynight I leave, and with you living here with me, with our own library, you will never have to say goodbye to me again nor fall asleep worrying if I made it to the palace safely." Hoseok smiled. "And I will finally be able to wake up to your beauty every day."

"What did I ever do to deserve you?" Hyungwon almost started crying again.

Instead, he just tightened his hold on Hoseok and they swayed along to the beat of their hearts.

 

* * *

 

 

Changkyun has had about enough of the pining he was witnessing in front of him perpetuated by his bestfriend, the young baker Jooheon, and the perky, unbelievably talkative man Jooheon was eating pastries with at the banquet table.

"Honestly, would you two just kiss?" Changkyun cried out after Jooheon wiped glaze off the corner of Minhyuk's lips and held his own finger to his mouth to lick it off.

Minhyuk turned a bright shade of red that frankly contrasted with his emerald suit and Jooheon started coughing as he choked on air, both stuttering that they had no idea what the young prince was talking about.

"You two are going to drive me mad at this rate."

"What are you implying--"

"You two obviously like each other. Too much. Now kiss!" Changkyun almost yelled at them.

"No, we do not--"

Jooheon did not finish his retort as Changkyun snapped and held the back of his and Minhyuk's head and pushed them towards each other with a strength neither knew the prince possessed. Jooheon immediately responded into the kiss, and Minhyuk melted into it quickly as well.

Changkyun let them go, a self satisfied, smug smirk on his face as he leaned back into his chair and drank wine.

When the new couple finally separated, Jooheon turned to the prince. "Thank you."

"Anytime."

**Author's Note:**

> i really tried my best here hahaha
> 
> anywaaay i have a new charger! which means updates to Alpha Alpha Zeta and a new Monsta X fanfic!
> 
> i hope you enjoyed reading :D have a good day!


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